Dentists routinely rely on a number of different electronic tools. Among these electronic tools are intraoral cameras for inspection, medical documentation and patient visualization of planned medical procedures and their results. Low cost intraoral cameras with relatively poor imaging performance caused by distortions like strong cushion effects etc. start at a few hundred dollars. Top models with different focal length for both close-up as well as large area imaging with good image quality can reach several thousand dollars. The low-cost solutions position the camera chip directly at the tip of the device. In more sophisticated designs, a 45° prism or mirror reflects light towards the imager, located further along the device's longitudinal axis. This implementation generally achieves a better imaging performance as the increased optical path inside the device allows for a more complex lens design. However, as already mentioned, this typically results in higher parts and manufacturing costs.
Regardless of the position of the camera chip, known intraoral cameras combine camera chip, illumination LEDs and imaging optics in a single, sealed housing which is usually made from plastics. It is not possible to disconnect the front section which is in contact with the patient's mouth from the parts containing the electronics. Hence, current intraoral cameras can only be cleaned by dipping/wiping them in/with a cleaning agent. For additional protection, a single-use plastic cover can be slipped over the device head.